CATALANS DRAGONS have only just reassembled for pre-season training and already they are off on a week’s break in Spain.
Coach Steve McNamara and the entire playing, coaching and administration staff are assembling at a spa hotel in the Catalan town of Figueres (just over the border from Perpignan) in a bonding exercise designed to focus energies on a successful 2023 season in Super League.
McNamara told League Express: “We’ve found a really great venue in the area around Figueres, which is a strong Catalan region, and it should be really good for us.
“The whole club will be involved at certain stages of the week, including administration staff; the idea is to be as one as a club. You can gain so many things from a camp like that with some collusion and clarity from everyone at every department of the club.
“The ultimate aim is to make the club successful on and off the pitch and hopefully the things we learn and share during the week will help us reach a common goal.”
The club will travel to Spain this week before McNamara reassembles his training group at Stade Gilbert Brutus for the four-week run-down to round one at Wakefield Trinity.
The Dragons will have to do without England international Mike McMeeken until the end of March, following surgery on a broken wrist sustained while on England duty in the World Cup.
And winger Fouad Yaha’s pre-season preparations were wrecked after he dislocated his shoulder at training last week. The 26-year-old French international has had hospital scans to determine whether or not he needs surgery to repair any damage, but either way it seems unlikely he will feature in the opening rounds of the new season.
Other injury concerns for Sam Tomkins (knee) and Tyrone May (dislocated hip) are receding after both players responded successfully to treatment.
Coach McNamara added: “Mike McMeeken has had to have surgery on his wrist. He picked up the problem in the first game for England against Samoa and he continued through the tournament with it, but he needed surgery after it and we’ll be monitoring his recovery closely.”
Tomkins had keyhole surgery to resolve the knee injury and May received treatment and rehabilitation at his former club Penrith Panthers when he returned home to visit family following international duty for Samoa.
Catalans captain Ben Garcia has fully recovered from a serious arm infection and took part in full training sessions last week.
The French international skipper said he was pleased with the 2023 squad which includes new signings Sio Siua Taukeiaho, Tom Johnstone, Romain Navarrete, Adam Keighran and Manu Ma’u.
Garcia said: “Last year we were heading in the same direction as the previous season when we made the Grand Final but things started to go wrong with injuries and discipline.
“We have to learn from that and start at zero once again and rebuild every little part of our game, because it is the fine detail that will make the difference for us.
“We know we’re not far off but we’re not happy with reaching one final and narrowly missing out. We believe we can go all the way
“We’ve got a really good group which enjoys working together but underneath that is the knowledge that we have to work hard and improve upon the things which let us down last year.”
Meanwhile, young prop Tiaki Chan – brother of Melbourne Storm-bound Joe Chan – has signed a one-year professional contract after making his first three Catalans appearances in 2022.
“I am very proud to get my first professional contract. I am ready to do everything to earn a spot in the squad and to have the opportunity to play in Super League. I am now looking forward to start the 2023 season, said Chan.”
Five players from the Dragons’ reserve team – Léo Laurent, Mike Parenti, Bastien Scimone, Ugo Tison and Tanguy Zenon – have also been included in the first-team training squad.
All five made their Super League debuts last September in the Dragons’ 48-4 defeat at Wigan.
“Having reviewed closely our reserve-grade team since the start of the elite season we are happy to promote five of those into our full-time squad,” said McNamara.
“They will bring great energy and enthusiasm into the group and with continued hard work we will be looking to evolve them into future Dragons players.”
